Useful information for modellers

Painting guide for Great Western locomotives

This painting guide for Great Western locomotives has been sourced over the years from official records and specifications, together with further information and input from various professionals and organisations such as Alan Brackenborough and Tyseley locomotive works.

This guide will start with the basic painting details from the end of the First World War and then develop and expand to cover lining, lettering and variations that have occurred over the years. Any input or comments will be most welcome to help build up the definitive GWR loco livery guide.

Middle Chrome Green (Deep Bronze Green good available match) :

Boiler and firebox cleating plates (up to rear edge of smokebox).

Handrails and brackets. (Except on some locomotive vertical cab rails).

Whistle shield.

Fire-iron tunnel.

Top feed clack covers either side of brass safety valve cover and pipework.

Stand-alone clack-box covers.

Dome covers.

Safety valve casing (Except on engines having copper polished caps)

Reverser housing.

Cab sides, cab front, cab interior surfaces (including roof).

Lower part of Nameplates between brass beading and splasher top)

ATC box.

Splasher fronts.

Tender body sides and rear above footplate level.

Tender and locomotive toolboxes (outside).

Tank sides and fronts (Except Panniers with tanks finishing at the FRONT of the smokebox in which case the fronts are painted black).

Tops of pannier and saddle tanks and fittings.

Black:

Smokebox, saddle and door.

Outside steam pipe casings

Ejector and pipe running down the right hand side of the boiler behind the handrail from firebox to smokebox.